The two walked away from the lodge, following the dirt road that led to the river. Crissa felt strangely safe with David at her side.
"You can't believe how that whole experience was," he said, with a strange mixture of enthusiasm and seriousness to his voice. You would think I should be completely alarmed and sad . . . about what had happened to me. But I'm not, Crissa. It was actually the most amazing feeling. To be . . . I don't know, instinctive and animalistic about life. It's something we all try to hide in ourselves, but maybe shouldn't."
Crissa was perplexed at his reaction.
"What are you saying, David?"
"There was just no hiding it when I was . . . with them. I felt free and so . . . amazingly alive!"
The two stopped as they entered the bridge, both looking down at the swift moving water.
"But . . . you must have felt that you also lost something. Didn't you David? I mean . . . at least temporarily? I saw you out there in the night. With them. You looked up at me. And I knew it was you. I felt so far away. So out of the world you were in then."
"No. I felt your heart Crissa . . . when you looked at me from the roof. I knew you were aware it was me. And still close to me. I detected that pure and clearly. And it's the reasons I rejected . . ."
"Her? The village girl . . . turned wolf?"
"Yes. But being one of them changes you. Entirely. You react from . . . strong instincts. Not when you are like a human. Fighting, hunting and . . . mating just seemed so natural when I was out there. Perfectly in tune. I know it sounds crazy, but it was in some way really . . . good and fulfilling to sense that. Something maybe we have all lost."
"But David you're back! You must be glad. We are all so blessed you've returned to us. Especially me. I worried so much for your safety. And that I may have never seen you again."
"I am happy, Crissa. To be back here . . . blessed too, even. Yet, there's a part of me . . . something which has changed. I don't know. A hunger to . . . return when I can. As brief as it all must be."
"God! This is all just so unbelievable, David. It seems like such a nightmare. For all of us here. I can't imagine how you and Julie's lives must now change. Be so cursed!"
"Please, Crissa. I don't see it that way. Not as a curse. As crazy at it must sound to you, I've already accepted how . . . that is, what, I will have to be each month . . . for three, maybe four days and nights."
They stopped on the crest of bridge, turned and faced each other. The wind was blowing David's long hair like a flag and his tanned face seemed so absolutely handsome to her.
"It was all just so amazing," he added softly, with no trace of the beast which would rage inside, and outside him again, in just weeks. "Look. Crissa. I've already thought about my return home. How it will be. No one will have to know. Just those of us here. Josh and Mary will return to Illinois. You . . . to Canada, and Brad to Alaska. I cannot speak for Julie. She became as wild as me. And she did not hesitate taking a mate. As I witnessed. Wolves mate for life. It's a known fact. I can't expect that she'll want to return to Alaska when we find her. It will be a battle to get her on any plane back to her old life now."
"Jesus, David. Is the change so deep?"
"I can't describe exactly what kind of new dimension I am in now. But I'm seeing my life in two worlds, Crissa. With one so very much closer to nature."
For the moment they just stood, silently. Holding each other in their arms. Listening to the wind around them in the pines.
David then moved his face nearer hers. Crissa remained motionless at first and then felt compelled to encourage the kiss which was imminent. His soft lips pressed against hers and a warmth enveloped her whole body. It was a feeling she had hungered for since feeling it so passionately on the two other occasions. She also flashed on her dreams, the erotic side of them, when he was as a man and pleasantly naked against her.
While in his arms at that moment, Crissa knew she could do whatever was necessary to help protect David from the unknown difficulties he would have to face. She saw him in some way now challenged, as if handicapped in a world which would never tolerate his monstrous condition. But also, through her strong and amorous affection, she saw him uniquely blessed. For he was also now an entity gifted in some other way. It was all somehow palpable and comprehended as he had so simply and honestly explained his new-found perceptions to her.
The kiss lingered on, and Crissa felt David's body press against hers, awakening other, pulsating sensations which came frighteningly strong and quickly. She easily could make love with him now, she thought, listening to language of her own instincts. It could easily happen, she mused, were they ever to be alone, comfortable and sheltered from the elements.
David moved away momentarily, though still holding both her hands.
"I've decided how this new life might be for me, Crissa. Assuming I'll be transformed, and as you say, cursed when we return."
"But how, David? How will you . . . can you . . . hide yourself during those full moon nights . . . and the dangerous days ahead?"
"I'll move south. Come to British Columbia, Crissa. Nearer to you. My mother will know nothing of my condition. She has always allowed me my space. She's supported my efforts. I'll enroll at the university there. Where you attend. I'll live simply and alone. Out of sight during those times I'm . . . transformed."
"Oh, David . . . I just don't know."
"There are wolves in your part of the country, Crissa. I'll adapt to that side of me. There in the mountains and forests when I must."
There was a part of Crissa that wanted to scream out in anger how absurd the whole situation had become. How impossible it would be to carry out David's skewed plan for adaptation and survival. But out of her own nurturing side, sparked now by the urging she felt as a young, nascent woman, it gave her some sense of hope and strength. That it all might be possible. And just to protect him.
David looked back toward the hotel and could see Brad was walking quickly toward them. David's young friend was still obviously doing all he could to comfort and assist him, not wasting on anyone his desires that they should all return to Berlin the following day as planned. And to fly out of Germany that next evening.
Crissa and David waited patiently for Brad to reach them, subtly moving apart so as to not be obvious about their mutual affections.
"Hey you two," Brad said in approaching. "Crissa, I see you're helping our guy here decompress back into the world of humans. How insane is all this? Dave, you OK?"
"Yeah Brad. As good as ever. I'm dealing with it alright."
"Look," Brad said, with anger still in his voice, "I hope you two agree with me. That we should get the hell out of here . . . either with Miss Julie . . . or not. I mean, we just have to leave word with the German authorities, right? That she went missing on a hike or something? They'll then scour the hills, and whole village for her if necessary. I don't think they want an international incident on their hands."
"Yeah Brad," David replied. "But the professor was right. Maybe we all have a responsibility to come back . . . with everyone accounted for."
"Dave? I can't even imagine what you we're going to have to tell your mom about this. Have you even thought about that?
David looked briefly and unexpectedly over at Crissa.
"Yeah we were discussing that, Brad. And if you're my friend, I hope you'll respect my feelings on that whole issue."
"OK. And what are they?"
"That we just say nothing to anyone back in Alaska. On campus . . . or in Fairbanks, generally. I have to get my bearings Brad . . . and find a way to not be forever hounded by this. I think I can pull it off. But I need your help to keep things quiet. About . . . the change. Julie too, if we can get her to return."
"Do you actually think your life is going to be anything close to normal now Dave? God! We have to find some way to . . . to reverse this. To kill this curse!"
"OK, Brad. Maybe. But for now I need from you . . . from all of you, just more light on my situation and less heat."
Crissa looked admiringly at David for his strength and grace under the most remarkably uncertain conditions.
"OK, Dave. I hear you. We'll have to keep it cool. But I won't rest until I've exhausted every possible way to end this thing for you. You just didn't deserve it, pal."
"You're a good friend, Brad. And I'm lucky to have you. The best you can do for me when we get back is just see me as much as you can the way I was. And just stay away when I'm . . . different, that's all."
"So . . . does that go for Crissa too? God knows she sees things a bit differently about you than I do."
"No. We've discussed it. She's going to say nothing and give me the space I need too. To deal with this."
Brad looked at Crissa for her reaction. He was obviously skeptical of Dave's assessment of her feelings.
"OK. Whatever guys. But I think we should all get back inside as the afternoon is moving on. And you know what that means . . . nighttime. And you know what must happen tonight . . . in order to get us the hell out of this twisted corner of the world!"
David and Crissa just nodded as they all began to return to the hotel.
On the way, they could see a female coming from the direction of the hotel while they approached it. It was not long before they recognized it was the young and fair Lara moving quickly toward the bridge. She seemed determined to pass quickly by them.
Brad held out his hand to slow her down, when David spoke up.
"Brad. Leave her alone. She's going . . . to him. The village boy, where ever he is. He is as Lara and I am now. And she's obviously his mate. There's no stopping nature her, Brad. She wants to be with him . . . in both worlds."
Lara shyly entered the bridge where they all stood.
"Don't you see, my friend," David added quietly. "They're lovers. I saw them as wolves. It was true devotion . . . and we can't interfere with it."
Surprisingly, Brad moved aside to let the demurely smiling Lara pass by on her way to the outer village. She looked to all of them as fresh and radiant a flower—harboring an intensity of expression and devotion which Crissa was only beginning to understand.
* * *